Re: Anybody share my thoughts about E28's in the s (archive)

The complete automotive resource for buyers, sellers, and owners like you.

First is that traction is chiefly dependent upon the tire that you have contacting the ground. No amount of electronic wizardry can get you moving in 1" of snow if your tires have zero traction. Snow tires and winter tires are specially designed to work better in low grip, low temperature conditions. Second, friction is also dependent upon weight. The more weight, the more friction force (generally speaking, yes there are a multitude of exceptions and little deviations, but I'm being general here), the more traction. Now, if you add 100 lbs of weight in the trunk of an E28, you change the weight distribution to allow the rear tires to have more weight, thus more friction force on them, the more traction. An E28, with 50 or 100 lbs of weight in the back, on 15" snow tires, in 2" of the white will beat most any Audi 4 wheel drive with Dunlops. (AMHIK).

Second point is your driving style. You should always have slow inputs and progressive inputs on all the controls in snow and rainy conditions in any car. No sudden movements, because it will lead to sudden changes in the car and its behavior. You want smooth, progressive, flow of input. (Any of you at driver's schools will remember the same theme there too: SMOOTHNESS). If you mash the gas, mash the brake, turn hard, of course you're going to upset the car, and no matter what type of car, you'll end up in the ditch.

Third, the amount of snow. If you have more than 5" of the white stuff, just stay home. You don't have the ground clearance. And when it comes to this amount of serious white stuff, 4 wheel drive is the way to go.

For some personal experience. I've driven my M535i in snow on TRXs, Dunlop D60 all seasons, in as much as 4" of the white stuff; and driven a 94 325i with Michelin MXV-4s, Dunlop D60s, and Michelin Artic Alpins, in as much as 5" of snow. No traction or LSD on the 325i. LSD on the M535i, and ABS on both. LSD is GREAT. ABS is GREAT. I've never gotten stuck with either car, on any tires. I've always had weight in the back of the M535i. And I've experimented with driving styles and yes indeed, smoothness counts. And on the 325i, the Alpins were AWESOME. The Dunlops were better than the TRXs in the M535i.

Does anybody else feel that with a good set of snow tires (and a reasonably good driver), the E28, or any other BMW at that, is great in the snow? I'm constantly hounded by friends and family who believe that BMW�s should never be driven in the snow because RWD is sooooo bad in the snow and BMW�s are always on the side of the road when it snows. I honestly feel that of all the cars I have owned, a BMW with snow tires handles snow with no problem. I realize that if you have 18� Ultra-Performance tires on your E28 you are going to have a pretty rough time getting around, but so will anybody else in the same situation. I just can�t understand why everybody thinks RWD is so bad in the snow, when properly equipped with a good set of snow tires, can be as good as AWD.

Questions, comments, or problems, please visit the Roadfly help desk.